


Careful Hands

by thechemicalgirl



Category: Wiedźmin | The Witcher (Video Game), Wiedźmin | The Witcher - All Media Types
Genre: Caretaking, Fluff, Friendship/Love, Hair Washing, M/M, Mild Hurt/Comfort, Tenderness, The Witcher 2: Assassins of Kings, Warm and Fuzzy Feelings
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-07-01
Updated: 2020-07-01
Packaged: 2021-03-04 22:14:48
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,941
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25013776
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/thechemicalgirl/pseuds/thechemicalgirl
Summary: 'Ciaran bent down to press a gentle kiss to Cedric's brow."Whenever you are in need of somebody who will take care of you, I will find you", he whispered, stroking his hand through Cedric's wet hair carefully, watching as he dozed off, exhausted from drinking a great amount during the day and walking a long way into the forest.'Or the story where Ciaran finds drunk Cedric and it leads to a lot of affection and tenderness.
Relationships: Cedric/Ciaran aep Easnillien
Comments: 2
Kudos: 13





	Careful Hands

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Squoxie](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Squoxie/gifts).



> After the Ciaran/Iorveth story here comes the Cedric/Ciaran one, prepare for much less angst and much more sweetness this time! Dedicated to @Squoxie, who also beta-read it and is the one who came up with Cedric calling Ciaran 'little darling', which is the loveliest thing ever. 
> 
> I hope you all enjoy reading!

Ciaran drew his bow without a moment of hesitation when he heard a muffled groan from behind the nearby bushes, bracing himself for an encounter with a lost dh'oine, or even worse, one of the bandits who lived off murdering and stealing; those always threw themselves at Scoia'tael as soon as they caught a glimpse of them and fought like furious animals. 

He approached the place carefully, furrowing his eyebrows when another quiet groan reached his ears. It sounded as if the person hiding there was wounded and perhaps struggling to move, but noticed Ciaran's presence. The elf hadn't attempted to stay entirely silent, but there was a very slim chance that a regular dh'oine would have heard him, so he quickly walked over to the bush and brushed the leaves aside, already suspecting what sight he would be greeted with - and he was right. 

"Oh, Cedric", he whispered, leaning over the older elf and wrinkling his nose when a strong smell of vodka instantly hit him. Cedric was clearly drunk to the point where he barely acknowledged what was going on around him, but he tried to smile when he saw that it was Ciaran standing in front of him. "How have you wandered off that far from Flotsam?" 

Ciaran wasn't exactly expecting an answer, so he simply shook his head and moved to help Cedric stand up, allowing him to lean his entire weight on his body. He immediately noticed the way Cedric was trembling despite how sunny and humid the evening was and he wrapped his arm tighter around the elf's waist, wanting to offer him all the warmth and reassurance he could. 

"I've missed you", he spoke, not sure if Cedric could hear him at all, let alone notice the emotion in Ciaran's voice. "I miss you every day, it hurts to see you that way." 

Cedric hummed against his shoulder, head lolling to the side. 

"I am sorry, little darling", he muttered, his hand stroking up and down Ciaran's back where he was holding onto him. "You should leave me..." 

Ciaran stopped for a moment, looking around and sighing in relief when he observed that they were relatively close to the waterfall. They would rest here, maybe he could help Cedric clean himself up and sober up a bit. 

"Never", he stated firmly, wondering how Cedric could even _suggest_ something like that. Ciaran loved him more than any words would ever be able to express and he tried to show it through his actions, but it was clearly not enough. "I want to take care of you."

They continued their way to the waterfall in silence, broken only by Cedric's humming once in a while; it was calming and melodic, probably an ancient song or a lullaby, but Ciaran couldn't recall ever hearing it before. It made him feel better, Cedric's voice soothing his nerves like a balm, reminding him of the old days that they had spent together in Scoia'tael, relatively careless and so full of love and affection that it sometimes seemed like there was too much of it to give. 

"Alright, here we are", he spoke when they reached their destination, carefully lowering Cedric down onto the grass and straightening his back with a grimace. "Would you allow me to wash your hair? The cold water might help you sober up, would that be fine?" 

Cedric looked at him, eyes still glazed-over from the alcohol in his bloodstream, but his gaze a bit more focused than it had been when Ciaran found him. He shook his head, bringing one hand up to brush dark hair out of his face. 

"I don't wish to sober up", he admitted quietly, looking away as if he knew those words would hurt Ciaran. "Vodka makes the voices disappear for a while, I do not See as clearly as when I have to do without it." 

Ciaran frowned, sitting down next to Cedric and caressing his cheek with as much gentleness as he could muster. He watched as the older elf closed his eyes and leaned into the touch, hesitantly, like he wasn't sure if his reaction was welcome. 

"Look at me, Cedric", Ciaran pleaded, trying to keep his voice from breaking when he felt Cedric's face become damp with tears. "I know this is unspeakably difficult for you, but you need to be taken care of. Let me wash your hair, that is all I ask from you." 

He held his breath for a moment, but quickly released it when he felt, more than saw, Cedric nodding in agreement. 

"Thank you", he whispered, stroking the older elf's cheek one final time before moving to help him get undressed.  
Elves were mostly creatures who weren't ashamed of nudity, but Ciaran wasn't sure how comfortable Cedric would be around him, so he decided to leave his undershirt and underwear on, and left his own on himself as well. 

Getting into the water was perhaps the most troublesome task, because he didn't want Cedric to fall into it without support, but also wasn't strong enough to carry him. He eventually chose to sit Cedric down at the edge of the waterfall and get into the cold water himself first, so he would be able to assist him later. 

"Careful", Ciaran warned, reaching out to put his hands on Cedric's shoulders and steadying him. The water was rather shallow, but he couldn't risk his friend slipping and hitting his head on a nearby rock or doing something equally dangerous. "There, is everything alright?" 

Cedric disappeared under the surface for a few seconds before Ciaran could react, and when he emerged he seemed far more aware of everything, the alcohol no longer clouding his vision. 

"You are far too kind, taking care of me like that", he said, smiling as he brought his hand up to Ciaran's hair and tucked some of it behind his ear. "You shouldn't worry about me that much, I can manage on my own." 

Ciaran huffed quietly, resisting the urge to roll his eyes. 

"I told you I want to do it. Stand with your back to me and lower your head down, I will wash your hair." 

Cedric obeyed, and Ciaran began slowly wetting his tangled hair, letting the braided parts loose and chuckling when the curls framed Cedric's face. 

"Have you ever had your hair washed for you?" he asked softly, rubbing the older elf's scalp to scrub all the dirt off. It was pleasant, despite the cold water soaking his clothes and the air cooling around them as the sun started to set. Their closeness and the chance to touch Cedric after such a long time made every inconvenience irrelevant. 

"As old as I am, no one has ever done that", Cedric replied, making a pleased sound when Ciaran pressed into a sensitive spot right below his ear. He relaxed further into the water, allowing the younger elf access to his entire head. "This is quite pleasant, more so than I expected." 

Ciaran hummed, focusing on untangling individual strands of Cedric's hair and smoothing them down until they were shiny and clean. He didn't have any soap with him, so they had to do with water, but luckily it seemed to be enough and soon Ciaran smiled with satisfaction, passing his fingers through Cedric's hair one last time. 

"I am glad I got to be the first person to do that, then", he said, moving his hand down to Cedric's neck, but quickly pulling it back, unsure if he wasn't trying to go too far. "Let's get out of here, the sun hasn't set yet so our clothes shall dry quickly." 

Ciaran left the water first and shivered when the evening air hit his skin. He heard some splashing as Cedric followed him, coming to stand by his side and smiling this kind, reassuring smile that never failed to make Ciaran's heart skip a beat. 

"Lay down with me?", Cedric offered, walking over to one of the large rocks near the waterfall and sitting down, extending his hand in a clear invitation. Ciaran didn't hesitate before joining him, sighing contentedly when he felt that the surface was still fairly heated from the sun, and sat with his back against the stone wall. 

"Tell me then, why have you wandered so far off from Flotsam?" he asked, repeating his question from much earlier. "Did dh'oine harass you? Were you not safe in your house?" 

Cedric shook his head, still smiling, his expression partly woeful and partly affectionate. 

"You are very young, little darling", he muttered, voice warm, and Ciaran felt a blush creeping up his cheekbones and over to the tips of his ears. "I am not being bothered among humans, it's the things I See that cause me to seek comfort in alcohol." 

Ciaran nodded, but he knew he couldn't possibly understand what Cedric was experiencing, how his ability to See the future affected his life. He swallowed and reached out to touch the older elf's forehead, gasping in surprise when Cedric leaned forward and pulled him into a soft embrace, their wet undershirts pressing together. It was the safest Ciaran had felt in a long time, and he relaxed into the touch completely, feeling his eyes fill with tears before he could prevent it. 

"I truly do miss you every day", he whispered, wrapping his own arms around Cedric's waist and pressing his cheek into his friend's shoulder. "I wish you could stay with Scoia'tael again, I know it's not possible, but..." he paused, trying to calm his erratic breathing down. "I just wish I could see you more." 

He didn't have to see Cedric's face to know that he was smiling sadly, and the way he tightened his hold on Ciaran revealed a lot about what he was thinking. 

"I know", Cedric answered simply, pulling back and unexpectedly moving to lay down with his head on Ciaran's lap. The younger elf laughed breathily, looking down at him and shaking his head with fondness that he was unable to hide. 

"Are you going to sleep like that?" 

Cedric hummed in agreement, taking one of Ciaran's hands into both of his and squeezing it carefully. 

"Is that alright?" he asked, turning his head so their eyes could properly meet. 

Ciaran nodded, biting his lower lip to stop it from trembling. He wasn't going to cry right now, not when he finally got to experience what he had been dreaming of for so long. He suspected that Cedric would be gone in the morning, back in his home in Lobinden, but it didn't really matter; he cherished the moment while it lasted, the elf he loved peacefully resting on his lap and trusting Ciaran to watch over him when he was the most vulnerable. 

Ciaran bent down to press a gentle kiss to Cedric's brow. 

"Whenever you are in need of somebody who will take care of you, I will find you", he whispered, stroking his hand through Cedric's wet hair carefully, watching as he dozed off, exhausted from drinking a great amount during the day and walking a long way into the forest. 

He wanted to add 'I love you' so badly that it almost hurt, but he felt that it would be unfair towards Cedric, not when he was falling asleep and barely aware of what was being said. Ciaran figured that they both certainly didn't need those words to recognise the feelings that were clearly _there_ , right on display, surrounding every action and kind touch shared between them. 

Right then, Cedric being there with him was enough. 

It had to be enough.

**Author's Note:**

> If you made it to the end, thank you so much for reading! There isn't nearly enough Cedric/Ciaran content, so if you liked it let me know in the comments or on my Tumblr @thechemicalgirl, I am always willing to talk. 
> 
> The title comes from the song 'Careful Hands' by Sleeping At Last and is very fitting in my opinion, I recommend checking it out. 
> 
> Have a wonderful day!  
> Alexa xx


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